Workbox Introduction: Mister Finch

Welcome to another in our series of Workbox Introductions. This week let us introduce you to the wonderful world of Mister Finch, who describes himself as
'A male textile artist living in the North of England making fairytale creatures from the things he finds.'
How does his inventiveness manifest itself..?
The bowls of spoons are engraved to become pieces of breastplate poetry on a dying bird, rust spotted tray cloths are turned into moth wings and silver punch bowls are transformed into the perfect perch for a life sized swan. His creatures materialise from tales of folklore, coloured with tea stains and sooty inks painted onto kimono silks, canvas and velvets. His hand stitches are meaty & bold.

Here's an example of one of those creatures, called Peabody, who lives with us in the Applewood workshop. His face has been painted with tea and he has a flash of handstitch under his chin. His name is engraved onto his silver medallion.

A gulp of magpies wait patiently in Finch's studio

At the end of his working day (or night, he's a bit of a Nightowl too), Finch tidies up his equipment into the vintage box below and rounds up his two cats which keep him company in the studio.
Go on then Mister Finch, what exactly is it that you keep in those pots and boxes? Sorry, did you say a squirrel and surgical clamps..?

Finch: "Here goes, these are the surgical clamps I think most people who make soft sculpture use. It was Abby Glassenberg who got me onto these. I modified mine. I cut
off the bit on the handles that locks and filed them smooth. I preferred to use
them without the clamp so they are more like scissors. I got one pair off
eBay and the other from a fly fishing shop. I use them all day long and break
about two pairs a year. Couldn't live without them.
I use bradawls lots to help pull wire through and the mattress needles are great for everything. I
generally use big needles for most things. I find using large darning needles
stops my fingers from aching from sewing all day."

Pliers "I use small tough ones to bend wire. These are really good, they're fromClas Ohlson and were about £12 but really worth it! Great for bending spider
legs."
"The red pliers are reverse pliers and I use these for helping to add
rings to things."

" I use a couple of files which are only the cheap kind as they get a real
battering and I don't really take good care of them as I should! I use them to
smooth out moth antennae and wire joints so use them lots really.
The wooden squirrel pot keeps my
pencils to hand!
I always use tailors chalk and have drawers filed with crushed
crumbs and bits of it.
I wear glasses
more and more now so always have these around."

" I have a small magnetic pin cushion for small pins and an oval pincushion I made myself which is made from an old dining service tray stuffed firmly with
wire wool which I use everyday and really helps to keep my pins sharp"
"I use
the big pins the most as I sew through plastic and thick cottons so these are
the most useful to me."

" I love using big old metal scissors, use them only for fabric as everyone
should!
I've had these years & love them they are Janome ones and they are engraved
on the blades which you can read when they are open...'the snow fell
silently'...... I always wanted scissors to say this! so I did this
myself."
"The snips in the centre are the thing that I use for everything and
they are always in my hand. They are marvellous. I've had the cheap version of
these before but these are amazing! Again, heavy and metal like the scissors and feel
great to use. They can also be unscrewed and sharpened. Would be lost without
these. Got them off eBay for £11?"

Well, that level of hardware certainly beats a tomato pincushion and a pair of Fiskars!
We'd like to give a huge thank you to Mister Finch for giving us an insight into his practice through the equipment he uses and for giving up his time to take part in this series.
If you'd like to read more about the creations and adventures of Mister Finch you can begin by visiting his websiteHERE or heading to his Facebook page.

The Owl, the Hare & the Human

On an apple tree covered hill near a winding 'Shire river sits the workshop of Murgatroyd & Bean.Murgatroyd (the Owl) & Bean (the Hare) have known each other since they were but a chick and a leveret. At a young age they were apprenticed to the applewood's needlesmith, Meles-Meles the badger, where they learnt their stitch craft and became friends with the stitch-fingered Human, Kathleen.In their workshop they make curiosities from found materials, handstitch and embroidery, inspired by the surrounding landscape and tales from the Wood.

Read on to find out about the handstitched endeavours & discoveries of the Owl, the Hare and the Human